First storefront award goes to The Dusty Attic

The Colfax Downtown Association has awarded the first storefront grant out of the newly-established storefront grant fund. The fund was started earlier this year with funds paid to the association from Colfax businesses through the Washington Main Street tax incentive program.

“We're glad to give out our first grants and help out,” said Valoree Gregory, Colfax unified executive director.

The Downtown Association had $2,500 available in its first round of awards. Initially, a $2,000 grant was awarded to Garth Mader who had planned to purchase the DeHart building at 213 N. Main Street.

A $500 grant also was awarded to The Dusty Attic.

Association board members making the decision on awarding the grants included Cherry Alice Van Tine, Krista Boyd and Laurie Gronning. Bob Krikac is also on the committee, but he does not vote.

The $2,000 grant that was awarded to Mader was subsequently revoked after the building purchase fell through. Mader applied for the grant before the sale was finalized. That building currently houses the barbershop and a new business, Eclectica. Kimberly DeHart, previous owner of the building, also has a shredding business there that is operated by Eclectica.

Krikac ended up purchasing the building.

The committee met again last week to decide where Mader's $2,000 grant would go, as it does not stay with the building. The committee ultimately decided to award the entire $2,500 to The Dusty Attic.

“That is actually what they applied for, and initially we kind of split it up,” said Gregory.

Mary Davidson, who opened The Dusty Attic here recently, said she plans to use the storefront grant to paint the front of the building.

“I'll be painting the front so that it looks like an attic where it looks like you're looking at the top of a house,” she said.

Davidson also noted she plans to ask the Arts Council to participate, and said she is considering the possibility of painting another mural on the side of the building. A current mural depicts Colfax's Main Street in the late 1800s. Davidson also said she has enjoyed being in business here since relocating her antique shop from Buhl, Idaho.

“I'm just grateful and really enjoying doing business here,” she said. “If you have a business, you have to be involved with the community.”

Grant recipients must provide at least 25 percent of the funding for their projects.

“All they do is show us their receipts, and then we reimburse them,” said Gregory.

There were five storefront grant applications submitted in this first round, and Gregory said she encourages them to submit again in the next round.

“We should have $11,000 to give by the end of the year,” she said.

Gregory said she anticipates another round of funding applications will be open in October.